Termoli

I’m woken before dawn by the mosquitoes, which have already bitten me. I squash one across the ceiling with the broom and pull the sheet to cover as much of me as possible but when I get up early for breakfast they are still biting. It’s warm and muggy, a storm is brewing and at about nine o’clock there’s a brief shower so we delay our trip to Termoli until the 10.10 train.

It’s just a ten-minute train ride along the coast to Termoli. Termoli is famous as being the gateway and port to the Tremiti isles but does not disappoint for a half day trip. Just out of the station we walk up the main pedestrian shopping street, full of bars and cafès, which takes us in a straight line to the castle and the small historical centre. The castle, the colourful houses behind and a blue green sea after the storm make for a spectacular view and I feel myself waking up a little. Andrea has an extra coffee and then we wander around the historical centre, clean and pleasant with sea views at the end of every street. 

We have a look inside the cathedral, a little consumed by time and the elements outside and squashed up into a too small space inside, it’s very nice and there are some mosaics in  the crypt below.

We get focaccia from Panificio Celestino and eat that together with our tomatoes from home, Andrea’s taralli and cheese, below the castle walls with a view of the lungomare. It’s intermittently cloudy with a strong breeze, so more pleasant than the previous days. After another stroll we sit down for coffee at a small bar in the square in front of the cathedral. The bill turns out to be a record. One caffè lungo and one cappuccino come to a total of just 2.20 euros, including table service in the main square of the historical centre of Termoli!

We get the 13.40 train back, and after a rest in the apartment, go to the beach. It’s windy so we put the sun umbrella down again and I go for a walk along the beach while Andrea sunbathes and reads. The beach is nice because there’s just nature all around walking south but it slopes down towards the sea where the waves break making it awkward for walking. There are very few people around, perhaps more seagulls than people. I sit for a while as well and we watch in amazement as an upturned sun umbrella floats past us in the direction of the open sea with its irate owner partly wading and partly swimming behind it. The owner eventually gives up but is pretty furious, although punching water has never hurt anyone. We are a little alarmed when he heads for a pedalò a little way up the beach. The sun umbrella is bobbing out towards the open sea and disappearing fast. Fortunately, the pedalo is too heavy for the owner to move on his own and he stalks off in annoyance, the sun umbrella lost to sight. We pack up before the wind can make off with anything else. Tomorrow we will be in Vieste.